Regulator system



Jun e 17,1930. '.1. H. AsHBAuGH REGULATOR SYSTEM Filed Dec. 6, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR j John H.Ashbough.

'ATTORNEY June 17, 1930. J. H; ASHBAUGH REGULATOR SYSTEM Filed Dec. 6, 1927 y '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIHHIHHHH INVENTOR John HAshbqug h.

BY l

ATTo'RNEY from hunting.

Patented June 17, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE JOHN H. ASHBAUGH, OF PITTSBURGH, .'PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC t MANUFACTURING COIPANY, A CORPORATION 0F PENSYLVANIA l montaron SYSTEM Application led December 6, 1927. Serial No. 838,048.

My invention relates to a regulator ofthe carbon-pile type in which a series of current conducting wafers are used as a rheostat, the resistance value of the pile being varied by varying the pressure on the series of wafers.

Many regulators of. thiseneral type have been used to control the eld current of a dynamo electric machine, for regulating the speed of a motor or the voltage of a enerator. In this type of regulator, car on or gra hite disc wafers are connected in series witl the shunt field windingy of the machine tobe regulated, and the pressure on the pile of discs 1s varied by means of a solenoid, the pressure on the pile `being a function of the pull of the solenoid.

`An object of my invention is to provide a regulator ofthe above-indicated character which is rapid in its action and is provided with means for preventing the regulator In the drawing, Figure 1- is a view in side elevation of a preferred form of my invention' Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation of the regulator,

Fig. 3 is a lator connectedto control the voltage dynamo electric machine, and,

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a modified form of regulator constructed in'accordance with my invention.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, an electromagnet is provided having a coil winding l and a movablecore or arma-` diagrammatic view of the re uturemember 2, which is actuated in accord-.-

ance with the energization of the winding to control the action of the regulator. The core member 2 is pivotally connected at the point 3 to one .arm 4 of a bell crank lever that is mounted vto move about the pivot 5. The other arm of the bell crank lever- 6 is adapted to vary the pressure apflied to' the carbon pile 7 in accordance wit 4 themovement of the lever. A biasing member'S is provided to actuate the arm 6 of the bell crank lever to apply ressureto the carbon pile: `The core mem r 2 yof the electromagnet is connected to a dash-pot 9 through a'resllxent or regulator is connected to control the voltage of a generator l2 having an armature winding 13 and a field winding 14 that is connected in series circuit relation with thevpile of carbon wafers 7. The terminals of the generatori are connected to suppl conductors land 16, between which the coi 1 of,the regulator magnet is connected.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the coil member 1 and the dashpot 9 are illustrated as being suitably mounted on an insulating panel 17. The core member 2 of the magnet is connected to a piston 18 of the dash-pot 9 by meansfof the spring 11 and a rod 19.

Two piles of graphite or carbon wafers are provided, supported between brackets 21 and 22. by means of eight non-conducting rods 23. The pivot 5 supports the bell crank lever having arms 4 and 6 between two pro- 'ections 24, extending from the bracket 22.

he upwardly extendin portion of'the bell crank lever 1s provid with fiat laterally extending projections 25 for engaging the4 ends of the graphite piles 7. One end of the biasin member 8 is attached to the upper end o the portion 6 of the'bell crank lever and the other end of the biasing member is attached to the bracket 21by means of an adjusting screw 26.

The operation of the regulator isy as fol-` lows: Vhen the generator 12 is started und while the voltage is building up to its normal I'to release the pressure on the pile 7.

When the value of voltage im ressed upon vthe winding 1 causes the pull o the electromagnet to balance the pull of the spring member 8, a position of stability has been reached, corresponding to the normal voltage for which the regulator has been adjusted. It the voltage across the supply conductors 15, 16 increases or decreases with respect to the desired value, the core member 2 will be actuated upwardly or downwardly and decrease or increase, respectively, the pressure on the pile 7, thus varying the resistance in the circuit of the field winding 14 to correct the Voltage of the generator 12.

As the core member 2 is actuated in the one or the other direction to correct for voltage variations of the generator, it is necessary to prevent over-travel of this member to prevent the correction in the voltage of the generator to vary beyond or overshoot its desired value. This is accomplished by means of the dash-pot 9 and the biasing connection between the piston of the dash-pot and the core member 2. The dash-pot 9 tends to retard the action of the core member. However, because of the connection of the biasing member 11 between the dash-pot piston and the core member 2, the core is permitted to immediately travel the greater part of the distance corresponding to the change in excitation of the coil 1, and, as the tension or compression on the biasing member increases, the dash-pot piston is actuated and gradually follows the movement of the core member. It follows that the action of the regulator, while prompt in its response to a change in the voltage impressed on the regulating coil, approaches its new position gradually. That is to say the first part of the movement ot the core member 2 is rapid and the latter part of the movement is gradual.

The regulator illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing is similar in its general character to that illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In this form of the invention, however, the biasing member 11 and dash-pot 9 are replaced by the biasing member 27 and the dash-pot 28 which are connected as illustrated in perspective in Fig. 4. A4 lever 29 is provided which is pivotally supported at oint 30 and normally occupies a position in t e plane of the arm 4 of the bell crank lever. One end of the lever 29 is pivotallyA connected at 31 to the piston of the dash-pot 28 and is adapted to move vertically with the dash-pot piston. The

biasing member 27 is connected between thepivot point 31 of the lever 29 and the pivot point 3 of the bell crank lever.

The spring or biasing member 27 normally occu ies a substantially horizontal position. As t e core member 2 of the electromagnet is actuated upwardly or downwardly to 'operate the regulator, the end of the spring member 27 connected to the pivot 3 is correspondingly actuated and increases the tension on the spring member. The tension of the spring member 27 exerts a component of its force upwardly or downwardl acco to the direction of movement o the pivot point 3, and correspondingly biases the pivot point 31. The pivot point moves accordingl decreasing the tension on the spring 27 an permitting it to again assume a substantially horizontal position.

Many modifications may be made in the circuits and apparatus from that disclosed in my application withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention, and I do not wish to be limited other than by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a regulator of the carbon-pile type, a pile of current conduct-ing wafers, a biasin member for normally compressing sai wafers, an electromagnet for releasing the pressure of said biasing member in accordance with the energization thereof, and antihunting means comprising a retarding element resiliently connected to said magnet for permitting movement of the magnet core in either direction prior to movement of the retarding element.

2. In a regulator of the carbon-pile type, a pile of current conducting wafers, a biasin member for normally compressin sai wafers, an electromagnet for releasing the pressure of said biasing member in accordance with the energization thereof, and antihunting means comprising a retarding element, said retarding element being connected to said electromagnet through a resilient biasing member whereby a movement of the magnet takes place in either direction prior to a. corresponding movement of the retarding element.

3. In a regulator of the carbon-pile type, a pileof current conducting wafers, a biasin member for normally compressing sai wafers, an electromagnet for releasing the pressure of said biasin member in accordance with the energization thereof, and antihunting means comprising means for biasing said magnet a ainst varying the pressure on said wafers or a desired riod after a change in the excitation of sai electromagnet in either direction.

4. In a regulator, an electromagnet energized in' accordance with the quantity to be regulated and comprisin an armature member actuated thereby, anti-hunting means for said regulator comprising a re element for retarding the movement o said armature to prevent over-travel, and a biasing member connected between said'retarding element and said armature through which movement of the armature in either direction biases said retarding element in l corresponding direction.'

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 3rd day of Deoember,

1927. JOHN H. ASHBAUGH. 

